Implant for artificial eyes



Nov. 13, 1951 T. l. MOORE 2,574,750

IMPLANT FOR ARTIFICIAL EYES Filed 0G12. 25. 1948 IN1 'EN TOR. Zai-F090 Z M0005 W www Patented Nov. 13,5 1951 UNITED STAT 12S-PATENT OFFICE plants for artificial eyes.

Heretofore it hasbeen lproposed to replace an enucleated eye with an implant to which the rectus muscles may be attachedin orderto cause the implant to move sympathetically with the implant wherein the rectusl musclesare attached e to tantalum paddles which,'in turn, are attached to the sides of the implant enabling the implant to be rotated within the socket'by the muscles in sympathy with movements of the' good Ieye. 'In

invention relates to improvements. `in iman article entitled A Positive Contact'Ball and Ring ImplantFor Use After'rEnucleatin by Nor:- inan L. Cutler, 'appearing in Archives of "Ophthalmology for January '1947, at page`473, et seq., another implant is disclosed consisting generally of an approximately hemispherical body nearl the anterior end of which a ring is mounted by `means of four spaced supports. The rectus muscles are drawn between thebodyI and the ring and aresecured in position thereon'by reversely folding the ends of the'muscles about the ring.` Tenons 'capsule and the conjunctiva are subsequently' drawn inwardly over the muscle ends andi are attached around the ring after which lastud"isinse'rt`ed into a seat therefor in theimplant providing for the mounting on the implant of a prosthesis on which the ey'e is depicted.'A In the 'implantdisclosed in the last mentioned article the forward face of the implant*isleft'exposedby the conjunctiva and Tenons capsule and, as observed in the article, if a muscle becamev exposed it` was `very apt to let go," allowing the implant to prolapse An object of the present invention is to provide an improved implant'of the type' disclosed 'in-the Cutler article above referred to wherein the #body of the implantis of generally spherical form having lateral openings formed therein which are in mutual communication with.` each other and .through `which the rectus muscles can-be drawn and opposed muscles mutually-connected.` On

the anterior face ofthe implantthere is an opening in communication with the mentioned openings and the back of which is disposed rearwardly of the forward edges of the lateral opening.' The implant has -aseateformedthereineoaxially with rectus muscles mld., t0 secure a connection between these muscles andthe implant so that the muscles can properly actuate or movethe implant. Furthermore, it is possible to close or substantially close Tenons capsule and the conjunctiva overthe implant, avoiding muscleexposure and reducing danger of infection.v y s Other objects of the linvention are to provide an implant for artificial eyes which can be easily manufactured ,and which,V are so designed as to facilitate the operationinvolvedin inserting the implant and the connection of the rectus muscles thereto. y,

'With the foregoing' and' other objects in view, which will be made manifestinvthe following de'- tailed description Vand spcifically'pointed outin theappended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of'the'inventiomwhereimv Figure "1 is a partial-view in front elevationof 'aneye socket illustratingthe conjunctiva and Tenons capsule as having :been opened, the im-A plant embodying the present invention' as'having been inserted, andthe manner in whichl opposed rectus muscles are joined to 'form the initial step 'inconnecting'themto theeimplant; Y H Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 upon Fig. 1; f

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2`but-illustrating themanner ini which Tenons capsule and the conjunctiva may be closed over the implant; 1

-Fig. 5 is avew similar -to Fig. `2 but illustrating the manner in whichl the stud or.-screw may be applied; I y Fig. 61s. a similar view illustrating thepros-v thesis as .having been applied to the stud or screw; and ,4 .Y A Fig.,7 is a perspectiveviewof the implant... .Referringv to vthe accompanying drawings wherein. similarv reference, characters designate similar parts.throush9ut, the implant embodying the present invention consists of a generally spherically-shaped body, I D which may be formed ofa syntheticI resin plastic` such. as a methyl methacrylate resin. lOther materials may be em: ployed for the implant which will notjcorrode and which are not antipathetic to tissues of the eye socket. In the forward or anterior side of thisbody there is formed a circular opening II which extends Vinwardly a su'cient distance so that its back I2 isV arranged slightly forward of airaverseldielseter 0f .the bedr In, 'Lateral openings I3 are formedin the forward' sides of the body to "communicate 'with` the anterior opening' I I. The forward edges of these openings are disposed forwardly of the back I2 and their bottom edges are beveled rearwardly as indicated at I4. A seat I5 is formed in the body so as to be coaxial with the anterior opening II. This seat is designed to receive a stud or screw preferably formed of a non-corrodable material and, as I prefer to employ for this purpose a tapered screw, this seat is illustrated as consisting of a bore on the walls of which screw threads are formed complementary to the screw threads I6 on the screw I'I. The screw has a head I8 in which a kerf I9 may be formed.

In installing the implant in the socket the four principal rectus muscles have sutures attached thereto which are threaded through their respecf tive lateral openings I3 in the implant and drawn forwardly through the anterior opening II. Opposed muscles M can thus be drawn intotheir respective openings I3 'and attached together, such as by the sutures 2I. Sutures that will ultimately dissolve are preferably employed. When opposed rectus muscles are thus connected they are released to lie, against the back I2 of the opening II, one pair of muscles assuming a position overlying the juncture between the other pair of muscles. Tenons capsule, indicated at T, may then have its edges drawn together by a purse string suture, indicated at 22. In a similar manner the conjunctiva, indicated at C, may be purse-stringed, as indicated at 23, see Fig. 4. Thus, as viewed4 in Fig. 4, the implant is completely enclosed by the conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule, reducing danger of infection and preventing muscle exposure. The attached muscles M, Tenon's capsule, and the coniunctiva are then allowed to heal and when the healing is completed the stud or screwk I'I is forced through the coniunctiva, Tenon's capsule, the liunctures between the muscles M and screwed into its seat I5 in the body III. When thus seated the head I8 projects slightly forward of the foremost portion ofthe body. The prosthesis 24 on which the eye is depicted. has a socket 25 formed on it's posterior side designed to vfit lthe head I8. The prosthesis is held against the head of the stud or 'screw I'I by the pressure oi' 'the upper and lower eyelids.

It will be appreciated jfrom the above described construction by those skilled fin the `art that the improved implant is of 'very simple construction and may be easily manufactured. It is so 'designed as to enable the muscles to be easily brought together and Vfirmly secured and 'when the stud or screw I1 is driven therethrough an adeouate attachment between 'the 'muscles and the implant is established to enable the muscles to move the implant and the prosthesis sympathetically with the 'good eye. 'Muscle exposure is avoided and 'as the `Tenons capsule and the conjunctiva are both brought into covering relationship. danger of infection is avoided.

Various changes `may be made Yin the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the 'invention as dened by the appended claims.

vI claimz' `1. An implant for artificial eyes comprising a generally spherical body having in the 'anterior face thereof an anterior opening in back of which there is abore for 'a stud for a prosthesis, there being lateral openings formed (in the l.sides 'of said body .communicating with the-mentioned opening and with veachother and .tlufouglrx which fsaid body communicating with the mentioned opening and with each other and through which 'i the rectus muscles may be extended and joined,

the sidesof the body being recessed rearwardly from said lateral openings and a stud adapted to be extended through the anterior opening Pand through the joined muscles to be sealed in the bore to project through the opening in the anterior face on which the prosthesis may be positioned.

3. An implant for artical eyes comprising a generally spherical body having in the anterior face thereof an anterior opening in back of which there is a bore for a stud for a prosthesis, there being lateral openings formed in the sides of said body communicating with the mentioned opening and with each other forwardly of the back of the anterior opening and through which the rectus muscles may be extended and joined, and a stud adapted to be extended through the anterior opening and through the joined muscles to be seated in the bore to project through the anterior opening.

4. An implant for artificial eyes comprising a generally spherical body having an anterior openf ing formed therein in back of which there is a threaded lbore for 'a stud, there being lateral openings formed in the sides of lsaid body communicating therewith and with each other and through which the rectus muscles may be extended and joined.

5. An implant for iarticial eyes -comprising a generally spherical body having muscle receiving openings forwardlyof the transverse diameter through the body and through which opposed rectus muscles may be joined, a bore in the .back of the body into which a stud may be lextended through the joined muscles, and 1an elongated narrow stud receivable in the bore through the joined muscles on which a prosthesis may be mounted.

6. An artificial eye comprising an `.implant of generally spherical shape having openings therethrough through which .opposed rectus muscles may be joined, an elongated narrow threaded stud adapted to be inserted through the joined muscles and 'into lthe back of vthe implant, 'said Vstud having a head and 'a prosthesis mounted u'pon said head.

' lI'EIFORD I. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Radin o Apr. '12, 1949 VOTHER REFERENCES j ,cuuerjn L., "feasket type .imparav for .use after enucl'eation. Arch Ophth 35:71-83, Feb.

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